Thursday, March 14, 2013

Handicappin'

Quick reaction from me: I think Mary Landrieu would stomp all over John Fleming but would have trouble with anyone else in the pool of potential challengers. Meanwhile the gubernatorial field is pretty jumbled.

So far, there’s only one announced candidate – the House Democratic leader, Rep. John Bel Edwards of Amite. Republican state Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain is reportedly telling friends and associates that he plans to run.

Other likely candidates include: Dardenne, who has made no secret of
his desire to be governor; Vitter, who seems to be gearing up for a run;
state Treasurer John Kennedy, who has positioned himself as Jindal’s nemesis, especially over the governor’s mismanagement of the state’s budget; PSC Commissioner Scott Angelle,
Jindal’s former National Resources secretary and the man the governor
appointed as acting lieutenant governor when former Mitch Landrieu left
that job to become New Orleans mayor; and Republican state Sen. Gerald Long of Natchitoches.

There is also Mitch Landrieu, one of the best-known and most-popular Democratic officials in Louisiana. A PPP poll recently showed Mayor Landrieu tied with Vitter in a gubernatorial matchup, and ahead of Dardenne by two points.

Aside from the Landrieus, there still aren't any strong Democratic candidates to speak of in Louisiana which back in pre-Katrina, pre-Obama times was the "bluest" of the typically "red" states. Yeah yeah John Bel Edwards is running. Let's see how far ahead of Biscuit4LA he finishes.

In any case, get ready for another Republican Governor and (unless that Governor ends up being David Vitter) probably many more years of Senators Vitter and Landrieu. Not sure how that makes the ride all that "wild" but it does look like we're likely to pick up a case of motion sickness anyway.